Fallen Heirs (Windsor Academy 3)

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he crosses her arms over her ample chest. “I came to make arrangements to send Peyton’s things overseas.”

“And why would you do that?”

“Because she’s going to finish out high school at a lovely French boarding school. She’s flying there as we speak.”

“What?!” Kingston and I shout in unison.

Preston steeples his fingers. “And why pray tell, would she need to leave the country so quickly?”

“She didn’t have a choice unless she wanted to be cut off!” Madeline shouts. “After my husband had to clean up that little message you left her, she told us everything. The inheritance arrangement you two had, how she hired those two dead boys to attack Jasmine, how you helped cover it up. How you were forcing yourself on her.”

He laughs. “Oh, Madeline, don’t pretend Peyton doesn’t share your favorite form of currency. Who do you think she learned it from? I didn’t force your daughter to do anything. She was a consenting—and quite enthusiastic at times—participant.”

“She can’t legally consent in the State of California until she’s eighteen.”

“Last I checked, she is eighteen.”

Madeline narrows her eyes. “Peyton said you’ve been taking advantage of her since she and Kingston broke up the first time. She was still a minor then.”

“Really? And where’s her proof of that? It’s a bitter little girl’s word against mine, and I say we didn’t start fucking until after her last birthday. Now, as for your other accusation, I have no idea what message you’re referring to, but if I did, I’d say Peyton should probably take it seriously and that if someone needed to teach her a lesson, France isn’t nearly far enough away to protect her.”

She straightens. “Charles is incredibly displeased you violated your agreement. Daughters are off-limits. How would you like it if he seduced Ainsley?”

Reed and Kingston are both squeezing their fists so tight, their knuckles are white.

Mr. Davenport’s boisterous laughter is so loud, Reed has to turn down the volume. “First of all, technically, Peyton has no blood relation to him. Secondly, my daughter isn’t an opportunistic whore like yours is. Charles wouldn’t have a chance in hell.”

Madeline’s face is so red, you’d think she just ran a marathon. “And what about Jasmine?”

“What about her?”

“Peyton said you’re obsessed with that piece of trash.” Madeline rolls her eyes so far back, I swear she should’ve tipped over. “Just like you and Charles were obsessed with her worthless mother.”

“Gold-digging bitch,” I mumble. “Talk about my mom like that again, and I’ll show you how trashy I can be.”

Kingston puts his hands on my shoulders.

“The only thing I’m obsessed with is getting that ten billion dollars. Hell, at this point, if I have to marry Peyton and put a kid in her myself, I will. My latest divorce will be finalized soon enough.”

“You most certainly will not!” Madeline shouts. “The executor of Pierre’s estate would never believe Peyton would marry you for love. You’re old enough to be her grandfather.”

Preston tilts his head to the side. “And? Remind me again what the age gap was between you and Peyton’s father? Oh, that’s right. Almost fifty years.”

Madeline scoffs. “Nobody believed I married Pierre for love, least of all him. He just liked the way I sucked his limp, shriveled, old dick. Thank God for Viagra, or I might have never gotten pregnant.”

I gag. “Well, there’s a visual I never needed.”

“Guess he didn’t like it that much, since he didn’t leave you a dime,” Preston deadpans.

Madeline reaches forward and smacks Kingston’s dad straight across the face. Before I can even blink, he’s dragging her across the mahogany surface by her neck, slamming her down. Preston’s other hand wraps around Madeline’s throat and squeezes. Her eyes are bugging out of her head as she’s clawing at his fingers, trying to pry them away.

I slam a hand over my mouth. “Oh, fuck.”

Kingston starts pulling on the ends of his hair, while Reed sits there in shock. I think we might actually be witnessing a murder right now.

“Listen to me, you stupid cunt.” Spittle flies out of Preston’s mouth as he continues choking the life out of her. Madeline’s eyes are fluttering shut. I think she’s close to losing consciousness. “If you ever try something like that again, or do anything to get in my way, I will destroy you. Are we clear? Because if not, then I’ll just end this right now.”